# Giraffe Childcare Parkwest, Dublin 12 — inspection reports and findings > Giraffe Childcare Parkwest (Dublin 12, Co. Dublin): what Tusla inspections found — 2 published inspection(s), non-compliances and the provider's corrective actions. ## Giraffe Childcare Parkwest Sessional · 0 - 6 Years · Dublin 12, Dublin · Tusla ID **TU2015DS134** · Registered since 1 January 2026 An inspection records what inspectors saw **on one day**; services respond with corrective actions — [how to read this](/methodology.md). #### Inspection of 17 February 2025 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. Some nappy changing practices observed during the inspection were inadequate for infection control purposes, at variance with the service’s nappy changing procedure and poses a risk of cross contamination as follows; - In two rooms the staff members did not wipe down the changing mat after they had finished changing the child’s nappy. - In two care rooms children’s hands were not cleaned effectively following the nappy changes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: Infection control: 1. The staff team have all received further nappy changing training. Nappy changing will be reviewed weekly to ensure all the appropriate steps are followed. Additional nappy changing posters have been placed in the changing areas within the two care rooms. 2. The hand washing procedure was refreshed within the centre and all staff were spoken to about the importance of hand washing on the staff training night 20 February 2025. 3. Management will continue to support nappy changing in the two rooms. Skills demonstrations and signage has been placed in the changing rooms to support staff during nappy changing as a prompt reminder to follow cleaning procedures. Management will monitor this practice and ensure it is in line with best practice Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 19, 25, 26. #### Inspection of 6 June 2024 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 11 — Staffing levels - (1)(2) The registered provider did not ensure that there were an adequate number of adults working directly with children in the Madagascar room at all times. The minimum ratio of adults to children was not maintained in this room at all times as follows; - On the day of inspection from 13:00 to 14:20 there was one adult caring for ten children in the Madagascar room. - These children were in the 3-6 year age range and were attending on a full day care basis. - Two adults were required during this time as the minimum ratio of adults to children for the 3-6 year age range is 1:8. Management and staff were unaware of the minimum ratio requirement for children in the 3-6 year age range attending on a full day care basis - (1)(2) On the day of the inspection there was an adequate number of adults rostered and directly working with the children. Management were not on ratio during lunch time and available to cover, however there was a calculation error on the number of children and lunch cover required within one of the preschool rooms. The ratios were maintained throughout the day outside of this period of time. Ratios will be maintained at all times. Management are fully aware of the adult to child ratio. All planning and room cover is scheduled accurately each morning and rooms checked during breaks and lunch cover. Ratios will be met at all times during the day ##### Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child - Inspectors observed that each child’s learning, development and well-being was not facilitated within the daily life of the pre-school service and that suitable care practices were not in place having regard to the number of children attending the service and the nature of their needs as follows: 1. The environments in the Safari and Namibia rooms were not appropriately resourced to promote all areas of development and to provide enriching play experiences for the number of children in attendance as follows; a. The environment in the Namibia room did not support the children in initiating and sustaining play activities. The room did not adequately meet the needs of the eleven children present due to a lack of clearly defined interest areas and a lack of available play materials to support the learning and development of children in the room. For example, the supporting play materials for the toy kitchen were stored on a shelving unit in the centre of the care room away from the kitchen. There was no other equipment or play materials to support imaginary and role play in the kitchen area. It was observed that the activities in the room were mainly adult led with minimal opportunity for child-initiated activity. b. There were no books accessible to the children in the Safari room. When asked by the inspector if there were books in the room, a staff member took three books out of a locked cupboard. There were seven children attending the room on the day of inspection. This non-compliance was present on the last inspection on 26 June 2023. The corrective and preventive actions as stated by the registered provider did not prevent recurrence of this non-compliance. 2. Children in the Namibia room were not provided with opportunities to move about freely and explore their environment at times on the day of inspection as evidenced below; a. For a period of 23 minutes from 11:05 to 11:28, children, aged 2 years, were required to sit on a mat while a staff member read stories. The other staff member based in the room was changing nappies during this time. Children were repeatedly asked to remain seated to listen to a story even though it was evident to the inspector that some children had become disengaged with the activity. Children were observed getting up off the mat and rolling on top of each other during this time. b. Children were required to sit for a period of 19 minutes from 14:28 to 14:47 while waiting for their afternoon meal. Children were observed sitting at tables with no play materials while staff stood beside the tables waiting for the meal to arrive. Children of this age require regular opportunities for full body movement. 3. The registered provider did not ensure that there was an adequate provision of food and drinks for some of the children in attendance on the day of inspection as follows; a. It is acknowledged that additional servings of dinner were brought into the Namibia room and a number of children were observed asking for and receiving more food. However, when the additional servings were gone, a child was observed to ask for more food and was told by a staff member that there was no more left. The chef then entered the room and asked staff if they needed more food. The staff member responded “No”. b. During the afternoon meal in the Namibia room, a child was observed to ask for more bread, staff stated that there was no more bread available. The additional bread that had been brought into the room had already been given to other children who had requested more. c. Children in the Namibia room were not given a drink with their dinner. It is acknowledged that children were given a drink before being given their meal, however, children were not offered an additional drink with their meal or afterwards. 4. Staff in the Safari room were not provided with seating to enable them to sit with the children during meals and were observed standing over children during dinnertime. Staff in the Namibia room did not sit with children during their meals and were observed standing over children during mealtimes. When adults sit with children during mealtimes it promotes a relaxed atmosphere and provides opportunities for social interaction between staff and children. 5. All children were not given enough time to eat their meal without being rushed. A staff member in the Namibia room was observed cleaning a table while a child sitting at the table was still eating their afternoon meal. The staff member was observed to spray cleaning fluid on the table which appeared to go into the child’s food. The child was observed to not finish the remainder of their meal - 1. (a)(b) The environments in Safari and Namibia have been reviewed and resources have been placed in these rooms. Additional equipment and resources have been ordered and will be placed in these two rooms, providing a stimulating and rich environment. Additional materials and books have been purchased for both rooms. Saff have also received further training on room layouts and educational opportunities that will enhance children’s choice and provide fully resourced areas for child-initiated activities. Staff have also been spoken to regarding the placement of books within the base room. A variety of books have been also purchased offering ample opportunity to promote language skills. Management are actively replenishing base rooms and will ensure they engage external support to boost the curriculum once all layouts have been refreshed. 2. (a)(b) Staff in the Namibia room have been refreshed on the usage of meal time chairs. Direct support from management was given to this room during meal times and through intervals i.e. nappy changing times, meal times, snack and also during play and demonstrated positive interactions at mealtimes where staff sit with the children. Additional support will be provided during nappy changes. Children will be facilitated throughout the day to engage in meaningful play and will not be in chairs until food is served. 3. (a)(b)(c) All our meal and snack times are treated as a social occasion and staff will sit with children during meal and snack times and assist where needed giving time for children to eat and digest food. Staff will encourage good eating habits and will be responsive when additional request for food or drinks is required. The inhouse chef will increase the additional portions of food at each meal-time, ensuring that all children have the opportunity to have additional portions of food if required and drinks throughout all meal times. 4. Teacher chairs are available and staff have been reminded to sit with children when eating meals. 5. Staff will ensure children are finished eating and away from the base tables before cleaning them down. The staff have been reminded of the safety of the children at all times. Our mealtimes are treated as an opportunity for social interaction as well as laying the foundations about making healthy choices. Staff have received training in relation to meal times and spot checks will be completed ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Two bottles of cleaning agents were observed hanging within reach of children in the sanitary area used by the Namibia room posing a safety risk if accessed by a child. Infection Control: Inspectors observed a number of practices which posed a risk of transmission of infection within the service: 2. Some nappy changing practices observed during the inspection were inadequate for infection control purposes and at variance with the service’s nappy changing procedure as follows; - A staff member was observed to redress a child with the same used gloves. - A child was observed with a toy in the nappy changing area. - Children’s hands were not cleaned effectively following nappy changes. A staff member was observed to wet their own hands with soap and water and to rub children’s hands with their hands to clean them. 3. The handwashing practices observed were inconsistent and at variance with the policy in place in the service as follows; - Children’s hands were not washed before dinner in the Baringo, Safari or Namibia rooms. - Children’s hands were not consistently washed after using the toilet in the Namibia room. - Staff did not consistently wash their hands after assisting children who were using the toilet in the Namibia room. 4. Part of a foam bumper on the wood in the nappy changing area used by the Namibia room was observed to be torn and could not be cleaned effectively. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The two bottles of cleaning products have been removed from the high shelves and placed inside a new press out of sight of children. Infection Control: 2. Staff have received training in nappy changing and a demonstration of nappy changing took place to refresh their knowledge on the policy. Management will address and refresh this again at the next staff meeting/training night. 3. Hand hygiene is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection. Appropriate facilities are available for effective hand hygiene for both staff and children and training has been provided to ensure hand washing occurs at regular intervals ie, when using the toilet, before meals, after outdoor play etc. Hand washing, all staff have been refreshed in infection control practices and will monitor the children in their care closely. We will ensure that children’s hygiene within the centre is always of the highest priority. 4. The rubber foam in the Namibia changing room has since been replaced. All staff have been refreshed in infection control practices and will monitor the children in their care closely. We will ensure that children’s hygiene within the centre is always of the highest priority. All staff have received a refresh tutorial on hygiene practices at mealtimes to promote best practice at all times and to ensure the highest standards of hygiene practices are maintained Found compliant: Regulation 9, 16, 29. ### Other services in Dublin - [Giraffe Childcare Rathborne](/creche/giraffe-childcare-rathborne-dublin-15.md) Dublin 15 - [Giraffe Childcare Rathfarnham](/creche/giraffe-childcare-rathfarnham-dublin-16.md) Dublin 16 - [Giraffe Childcare Stepaside](/creche/giraffe-childcare-stepaside-dublin-18.md) Dublin 18 - [Glenview Montessori Pre-School](/creche/glenview-montessori-pre-school-dublin-24.md) Dublin 24 - [Happy Days](/creche/happy-days-dublin-7.md) Dublin 7 - [Hill Street Family Resource Centre](/creche/hill-street-family-resource-centre-dublin-1.md) Dublin 1 - [Kid-e-Winks Montessori](/creche/kid-e-winks-montessori-swords.md) Swords - [Little Bambinos Childcare](/creche/little-bambinos-childcare-dublin-12.md) Dublin 12 - [New Shapes After-School](/creche/new-shapes-after-school-dublin-22.md) Dublin 22 - [Tyrrelstown Little Stars @Gaelscoil](/creche/tyrrelstown-little-stars-gaelscoil-dublin-15.md) Dublin 15 [Alert me when a new report is published](/help.md) · [Dated report on this service — €19](/report.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/creche/giraffe-childcare-parkwest-dublin-12/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11